Liverpool fans could be made to sweat over the futures of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane after Real Madrid missed out on Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman has signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, much to the Spanish side’s surprise, which leaves them surveying the market for alternative options.
Salah and Mane are both of the calibre to offset the disappointment that comes with missing out on a player like Mbappe. The duo have terrorised opposition defences since Salah joined Liverpool in 2017, although both are approaching the final 12 months of their respective contracts.
That leaves the Reds in a precarious position as, if they are not keen to cash in on either of them this summer, they could lose them both for free in 2023. The lengthy nature of Salah’s contract stand-off could be particularly concerning, and Madrid could soon get the hint that the Reds are not keen to meet his wage demands.
Liverpool fans may wince at past quotes from the Egyptian, when he referred to Madrid as a ‘top club‘ back in 2020 before adding: “We never know what is going to happen in the future, but right now I’m focused on winning the Premier League and Champions League with my club.”
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Much like his team-mate, Mane is no stranger to Real Madrid links, and he addressed them back in 2019. “Always this is part of football, so we have to deal with it,” said the Senegalese. “But for me the most important thing is Liverpool and I’m happy here. It’s always a pleasure that this kind of team wants [you] but don’t forget Liverpool. They beat big teams.”
Three years down the line, Mane’s admission that he takes ‘pleasure’ in interest from the likes of Real may usher him towards the prospect of taking on a new challenge. In fact, recent reports from GOAL indicate that he would welcome approaches from Madrid or Barcelona this summer, and Bayern Munich have also been linked with the 30-year-old.
Despite impressive numbers from Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, Mane and Salah remain the top dogs at Liverpool based on their output this season. The former has notched 22 goals in all competitions, while the latter has a staggering 45 goal involvements in 49 matches.
Given that Mbappe’s supposed move to the Bernabeu was considered the worst kept secret in football, the Reds hierarchy may have thought themselves in the clear regarding two of their star names. But with the Spanish heavyweights back on the hunt, they could soon be sweating again.
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1614013/liverpool-news-mo-salah-sadio-mane-real-madrid-kylian-mbappe-psg
